Biden viewed favourably by most Democrats but 40 per cent want another 2024 candidate, poll finds
Mr Biden is expected to announce a re-election bid in the coming months
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Your support makes all the difference.A new poll finds the vast majority of Democratic voters have a favourable opinion of President Joe Biden even as a large minority would prefer he stand aside rather than run for a second term in next year’s presidential election.
The Monmouth University poll of 542 registered voters conducted from 16 to 20 March found nearly three-quarters of Democrats – 74 per cent of those surveyed – view Mr Biden favourably, with only 14 per cent of his party holding an unfavourable opinion of the president.
Yet nearly half of those same voters – 44 per cent – said they’d prefer that Mr Biden, who is the oldest person ever to serve as America’s chief executive, stand down in favour of a new candidate instead of running for a second term in the White House.
The survey found that self-identified “strong Democrats” are evenly split at 36 per cent to 36 per cent on the question of Mr Biden mounting a reelection campaign next year, while self-identified “very liberal” voters were far more bearish on the president
Of those “very liberal” respondents, just 22 per cent said they want Mr Biden to seek a second term, while 52 per cent said he should not run again.
In what may be a sign that Mr Biden’s age weighs heavily on Democrats’ minds, a 54 per cent majority of respondents over the age of 50 said he should defer to someone else rather than stand for election next year.
But as for who that someone else might be, more than half of Democrats – 51 per cent – were unable to name an alternative when asked who they’d prefer to appear on the general election ballot next November.
Topping the list of those who did have a name in mind was the sitting vice president, Kamala Harris, who garnered the support of 13 per cent. Ms Harris was the only named choice to break a 10 per cent threshold of support.
Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said the results show that Democrats “appear to be saying they like the job Biden has done, but maybe it’s time for him to move on when his term is up”.
He added that the hesitancy among Democrats to name an alternative to Mr Biden may stem from his stated intention to run for reelection.
Though he has not announced a bid for a second term, the president has repeatedly said he will do so.
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